Stadium chair



March 25, 1930. v .1. M. SHELTON Q 1,752,208

STADIUM CHAIR I Filed March 13, 1928 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 25, 1930UNITED STATES JESSE MARKHAM SHELTON, or arrears, GEORGIA STADIUM CHAIRApplication filed March 13, 1928. Serial No. 261,379.

My invention'aims to provide an improved chair or seat, particularly ofthe type adapted for outdoor use in stadiums, grandstands and the like.

In the drawing, wherein I have shown one illustrative embodiment of myinvention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a chair embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing aplurality of my improved chairsconnected together and forming a bench having individual seats;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of one of the supportsor standards shown in Figs. '1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the seat brackets for supportingthe hinged seats shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, my invention there showncomprises standards 11 having integral back-rest supports 12 carryingslats or back-rests 13 between them and seats 14 hingedly mountedbetween the supports. Also, I have shown short, sloping arms 15,formedintegral with the standards and the back-rest supports forstrengthening the latter.

I have shown each of the chair standards (including the back-restsupport and arm) as a single casting having an enlarged flanged base 16resting upon and preferably bolted to the tread of one of the steps of astadium. Spaced from the base I have shown provision for securing thestandard to a riser, preferably near the top of the next tread above. InFig. 3 I have shown the standard 11 as being secured to the riser bymeans of a bolt passing through a central opening in an enlarged portionof the standard. Between the standard and the riser a suitable spacer orwasher 17 may be interposed so as to fill the space under theoverlapping portion of the tread.v Thus, since each base is secured tothe tread on opposite sides of the standard, and also the standards arefirmly secured to the risers, a very strong and durable support isinsured.

The standards 11 and the back-rest supports 12 are each preferablyshapedin cross section like an. I-beam (see Fig. 5) whereby to insuresufficient strength to withstand great pressures applied backward-1y by0c cupants, who, at times, especially at football and baseball games,are boisterously energetic due to sudden enthusiasm. Also, when two ormore chairs are connected together, as shown in Fig. 2, this shape ofthe back-rest supports is especially desirable in that the channels onopposite sides provide guides for sliding the slats 13 edgewise intothem. For securingthe slats 13 in place the flanges of the back-restsupports preferably have integral screw receiving ears 18.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the seats 14 are preferably carried by hingedbrackets 21 which conveniently are L-shaped in cross section (see Fig.3). Suitable hollow bosses 20 ortheir equivalents are provided on thestandards to receive and form stops for the lugs 21 on the brackets soas to limit both the upward tilting movement and to support the seatsinhorizontal position.

The arms 15 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 are preferably inclined downwardlyand forwardly' at an angle to the horizontal from the back-restsupports, but do not extend to the front end of the seats, therebyeliminating any possibility of the occupants catching their clothing onthem.

The standards are disposedat the back of theseats adjacent to the riserswhere they do not form obstructions in the way of per-' sons walkingbetween rows of seats, either 'whenthey are open or folded. Also, thisarrangement enables the seats to be folded back to occupy a minimum ofthe walking space in the stepped structure. 7

.From the foregoing description it will be observed that my improvedchairs are particularly adapted to be installed in either wooden,concrete stadiums or grandstands. Further, they may be made andassembled at very low cost. Moreover, tests have demonstrated that theywill withstand the very rough usage to which they are subjected byboisterous fans. I

Obviously, my invention is not limited to I the particular embodimentthereof selected 7 for illustrative purposes.

What I claim is A chair for stepped stadiums and the like, comprising,in combination, standards each presenting an enlarged, flanged,horizontal base adapted to be anchored to the rear portion of a treadand contact'at its rear edge With the adjacent riser; the leg portionabove the tread having an opening to receive a bolt adapted to securethe leg portion to the riser below the tread above so as to bring thestandard in contact with the forward edge portion of the upper tread;back-rest supports on the standards; and forwardly 'anddovvnwardlyinclined arms connected to said supports and standards so arranged asnot to catch in and tear the clothing of an occupant.

' In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my oWn, I have heretoaflixed my signature;

' JESSE MARKHAM SHELT ON.

